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A 
NARRATIVE OF A TOUR 

THROUGH THE 

STATE OF VERMONT 

FROM APRIL 27 TO JUNE 12 
1789 

BY 

THE REVd NATHAN PERKINS 

OF HARTFORD 



" I have zealously & uniformly endeavoured to hold up 
ye truth plainly — to alarm ye Conscience: — to inform y* 
judgement & to engage ye heart." 



THE ELM TREE PRESS 

ELM STREET WOODSTOCK VERMONT 

1920 



Copyright. 1920 
Geo. Bird Grinnell 



m 20 1922 



©G!.A6o9939 



V S2. 



FOREWORD 

Nathan Perkins was born in 1 749 and was graduated from 
Princeton College in 1 770. He was fifth in descent from John 
Perkins, who reached Boston on the ship Lyon in February, 
1631, and afterwards settled in Ipswich. In the year 1774 
Nathan Perkins received from Yale the honorary degree S. T. 
D., and in 1 80 1 from Princeton that of D. D. For more than 
sixty-five years he was pastor of the Third Church of West 
Hartford, Connecticut, and was greatly beloved and looked up 
to by his parishioners. He was considered one of the most 
eminent Divines of his day. 

He married Catherine Pitkin, daughter of Rev. Timothy 
Pitkin and Temperance Clap, who was the daughter of the 
Rev. Thomas Clap, for many years President of Yale College, 
and of Mary Whiting, A son, also Nathan Perkins, born in 
Hartford, graduated from Yale in the Class of 1 795, and for 
many years preached at Amherst, Mass. His daughter, Eliza, 
born in the year 1800, married Hon. George Grinnell, of 
Greenfield, Mass. 

This narrative is a diary and expresses freely its author's views 
of conditions in the new settlements and of the people he met. 
As a diary, written merely for his own eye, it is hardly open 
to criticism. Yet its frankness makes it amusing, and, apart from 
its historical value, it is a human document of no little interest. 
The writer was a keen judge of men and women, and recog- 
nized and admired the courage and endurance of the settlers 
of the new country, their kindliness and helpfulness to each 
other, and, above all, the splendid self sacrifice of the wives of 
these settlers. To these fine qualities he pays high tribute. 

[5] 



The route he followed may be traced on any map of West- 
ern New England. It led through Connecticut and Massachu- 
setts up through Western Vermont, about as far as Burlington, 
and the return was over the same route. At one point he en- 
tered New York and passed through the town of Hampton in 
that state. 

Just what was the bloody battle fought during the French 
War on the banks of the La Platte River seems uncertain. 
The river is a small stream running into Shelburne Bay just 
south of Burlington Bay. 

The original manuscript of the narrative is in my possession. 

G. B. G. 



A Narrative of a Tour through the State of Vermont in the 
year / 789 — from April 27 — to June 1 2 to preach y^ Gos- 
pel to the New Settlements in that State by the Rev^ Nathan 
Perkins of Hartford appointed by y^ Association of Hartford 
County at the instance & request of the General Association 
of Connecticut. 

15 5 15 5 

April 27 I left Hartford and set out for Vermont. 
Took leave of my family, a tender Companion & five 
dear Children, with painful reluctance, & an anxious 
heart. I affectionately recommended them to the pro- 
tection & care of a kind Providence, influenced by y* 
Call of duty & Conscience. I reached Symsbury by one 
O'clock & dined with y^ Rev*^ Mr. Stebbins ; not pre- 
pared to receive Company glad to see me, & we dis- 
coursed on Divinity, politics & my journey. 

Two O'clock P. M. mounted my horse — rode on 
as usual a slow pace, contemplating every surrounding 
object — amusing myself with y^ works of nature, y* 
season — y^ state of agriculture & rusticity of y* people's 
manners. — Dear travelling. — - No hay. — no oats. 
My horse deeply grieved. About Sun-set arrived at 
the Rev'^ Mr. Clinton's of South wick; procured horse- 
keeping with a neighbour of his. 2* per night. Mr. 
Clinton Out, but soon comes home ; I had already in- 
troduced myself to Mrs. Clinton. She was just getting 
up from Child-bed ; not very polished nor used to 

19] 



Company : thought her boy y* finest in y^ world — 
most beautiful — most sprightly — most promising. I 
smiled & Chesterfield-like bestowed some compliments 
to please y* vanity of parental fondness. Innocent 
pleasantry !— She introduced me to her husband. — A 
Man of moderate abilities & moderate acquirements. 
— The evening passed in dulness & insipidity. Poor 
Supper — wretched breakfast — tea paler than water — 
Sugar heavier than lead. I then began to experience 
that hard & coarse fare which, wasted away my flesh 
in y* progress of my travels & made me often, often re- 
gret my tour, how often have I remembered home — 
a table richly furnished, & elegantly set — food dressed, 
in y* neatest & best manner. - - - - 

Tuesday 28 of April, 8 o'clock A. M. Set out for 
Westfield. Reached Rev*^ Mr. Atwater's, a sensible, 
agreable man — an ingenious and cunning philosopher. 
Showed me his garden — his nursery of English & 
Italian Mulberries — y^ former cut off & set out like 
prim-hedge — y* latter sowed as peas, & raised from 
y^ seed. Talked a few minutes on important Subjects 
& left him loaded with his best wishes. — Went on 
to Westfield mountains with a heavy heart. — The 
mountains as bad riding as they well could be — 2 
O'clock P. M. came to Rev'^ Mr. Badger's, of Blan- 
ford. He absent — his wife old-poor-homely-kind, 
four years older than her husband, & courted him — 
helped to defray y* expenses of his Education by her 

[10] 



own industry. A very poor dinner — bad bread — no 
sauce — no elegance or good Cookery. 3 O'Clock 
journeyed to Becket. About 6 O'clock reached my 
Brothers & was richly & sumptuously entertained. — 
Wednesday 10 O'Clock left his house, one of y' 
best in y^ Country. Dined with Rev^ Mr. Balantine 
of Washington — a poor town, & a disgrace to y® ex- 
alted name which it bears — cold land — bad for grain 
— good for grass — came to Mr. Moses Steales. They 
were overjoyed to see me — ready to eat me up with 
love and kindness. Wished, & wished, I could preach 
there, that they might see y^ house once crowded, & 
that y^ people might kfiow what preaching was. Left 
Washington, Wednesday, 4 o'clock, & reached Pits- 
field about Sun-set. Put up at Mr. Allyn's, y*^ presby- 
terian Minister, of y* town. Introduced myself to him. 
He is a sociable man, — awkard in his manners, — a 
handsome woman for his wife, — an infant at y* breast, 
y^ II Child, all living. Poor Cookery, — no elegance, — 
common fare, — bad house-keeping. Mr. Allyn dises- 
teemed by his people : a pleasant town, — a few good 
buildings near y^ Centre, a small meeting house, — few 
people attend public worship, — loose morals, — loose 
principles,— good land, — no good fencing timber ; — 
200 families scattered over y^ town, — quite as many 
as can live there. Thursday, 8 o'clock A. M, — pro- 
ceeded on my journey with y^ good wishes of y* gen- 
tleman, I left : came to Lainsborough, 6 miles, a good 

[11] 



township of land, — pleasant, — thick settled, for so 
young a place — many emigrated from it. People not 
very civilized. Called on Rev^ Mr. Collins — from 
home he w^as. His w^ife uncommonly glad to see me. 

— a woman of ambition & pride — a daughter of y* 
same properties ; very sociable. — there I had an inter- 
view with Rev*^ Mr. Buckminster of Rutland — a grave 
well-behaved aged man. Mr. Collins happy with his 
people, enjoys their confidence & esteem. Went on to 
Ashford & to Williamstown — broken, mountainous 
Country — exceedingly unpleasant — Mountains lofty 
indeed — above y* clouds — good land in y* Vallies. 
1 5 miles — came to Rev*^ Mr. Swift's, poor house — 
poor living — no luxury — no elegance — gloomy wo- 
man for his wife — he epileptic, but kind — native 
sense, but no acquaintance with books — Williams- 
town y* northwest town in y* Common Wealth of 
Massachusetts. — Friday entered y* State of Vermont 

— a bad appearance at y* entrance, Pawnal y^ first 
town, poor land — very unpleasant — very uneven — 
miserable set of inhabitants — no religion, Rhode Is- 
land haters of religion — baptists, quakers, & some 
presbyterians — no meeting house. — Friday came to 
Bennington 6 miles — Capitol at present of Vermont — 
a good town of land, people, proud — scornful — con- 
ceited & somewhat polished — small meeting house — 
considerably thick-settled, as many, as can possibly get a 
living; — no stone; — no fencing timber; — some elegant 

[12] 



building ; — a County town ; — a tolerable Court-house 
& jail ; — a good grammar school. The Rev*^ Mr. 
Swift their Minister, y* Apostle of Vermont — well 
esteemed among his own people, & in y^ State, at 
large ; put up at his house : — he not at home ; gone 
over to y^ College. — his wife handsome,— serious, — 
weakly, — Lawyer Segwick's sister, — ten children one 
at y® breast, — two daughters grown up, homely, — un- 
polished, — countrified in manners, and without any 
elegance. Visited Judge Robinson, — Chief justice of 
y* State. A man of sense & of religion, rich & un- 
commonly dutiful to an aged Mother, eminent for her 
attainments in goodness. Saturday May y^ Second, 
rode to Shaftsbury — Saw y* hill where y^ Benning- 
ton battle was fought, six miles from y* town, — a bat- 
tle which will be greatly celebrated in y* history of 
America. Called on Elder Blood of Shaftsbury, — a 
baptist Minister of a public education, — candid & sup- 
ported as presbyterian Ministers are, — lives low, — 
poor ; — vAie old, — ordinarily looking ; — serious and 
very dirty — A good township of land : — passed on 
to Airlington, — An episcopal Church there, — a very 
rough, uneven, hilly poor town, y* present governor of 
y* State resided there during y* war, in a very indif- 
ferent house. The noted Shays & his family live here, 
in great poverty & obscurity. Went on to Sunderland, 
called on Col. Timothy Brownson one of y* Council 
of y* State, was treated with hospitality — y^ family 

fl31 



kind, but destitute of all taste & polish. 1 Sabbath in 
May, preached at Sunderland, in a barn, to a consid- 
erable audience, very attentive & much affected, re- 
ceived much applause ; a raving arminian methodist 
preached in y^ Evening ; Here lived formerly y* awful 
Deist Ethan Allyn, — so know^n in Vermont, who de- 
lighted in calling himself y* old philosopher. In his 
house now lives a quaker from Long Island, with a 
young girl from Seabrook whom he seduced, though 
a married man, a picture of beauty & elegance. Sab- 
bath Evening went to Major Brownson, rich & kind 
& generous, — keeps 70 head of Cattle. — Monday 3 of 
May journeyed to Manchester, half shire town hemmed 
in by lofty mountains, a number of houses in y^ center, 

— a small meeting house, half baptists, — loose town, 

— called on Mr. Elias Gilbert, a serious man ; — visited 
y" house of Col. Keyes, his wife gone out on a visit ; 

— he, in Canada, rafting lumber — Went on to Dor- 
set, called on Rev. Mr. Sill, a good friendly man, ex- 
tremely poor — poor looking family, — poor land, — got 
some directions of him, as to my route, — passed to Pol- 
let, through Rupert, called on Rev*^ Mr. Bebee, a serious 
man, who left honor & y^ prospects of wealth for y^ 
Gospel, sensible, of little reading, — of narrow senti- 
ments, — a weakly wife, a poor hut, — a friendly heart, 

— mean victuals, — destitute of neatness. Wednesday 
5th May, set out from Pollet, for Middletown, preach- 
ed at one Reed's in a dark room — to a small collec- 

[14] 



tion of people, chiefly Connecticut Separates, very ser- 
ious & attentive, put up at Mr. Minor's, a kind man, — 
a kind vv^ife, — wretched fare, — wretched bed, — eat up 
with flees, — no hay, — my horse starving. — Thursday 
journeyed to Tinmouth, & preached, at Mr. Porter's, 
one of y^ Council of y* State, — his wife a most pious 
woman, — a few people very much affected with my 
sermon. Friday 8th day of May, heavy snow. — I went 
to judge Mattock's, — was kindly received. He is 
treasurer of y^ State. Saturday went to Clarindon — 
to Elihu Smiths esq, — a rich man, — a great boaster, — 
a fine farm on y^ otter Creek, preached 2 Sabbath in 
May at his house, — y* people of Wallingford met with 
Clarindon, very attentive. I fared badly at Clarindon, 
& my horse worse, here I had an Interview with y* 
Rev'^ Mr. Swift of Bennington, & Mr. Marsh, Master 
of Bennington Academy. Monday 9th May, — went 
to Rutland on y* Otter-Creek, a County town, con- 
siderably settled, called on Mr. Williams Esq, and was 
introduced to Dr. Williams from Cambridge, Massa- 
chusetts, late professor of philosophy there, but was 
guilty of forgery & resigned, — a well looking & a 
learned man — a good speaker, lofty & haughty in his 
air — & preaching there, to my surprise, elevated with 
y* idea of having a College there. — Lodged at Mr. 
Flints in Brandon, — meanest of all lodging, — dirty,— 
fleas without number. May 1 0th rode to Leicester & put 
up at Col. Sawyers, & Wednesday preached a Lec- 

1151 



ture, at his house, & baptised a child for him, — a 
rough, violent, savage man, — extraordinary spot in na- 
ture for Mills, & a pond by his door, where he raises 
fish. Thursday rode to Middlebury, — to Major Chip- 
man's — to Mr. Smally's & to Mr. Fleide's preached 
a lecture at Mr. Thayer's to a considerable of an au- 
dience, — they were all attention, next day, rode to 
Mr. foote's, stayed all night, a high tempered, boastful 
man, conceited, vulgar, — & highly inelegant, in y* 
house. — Next day to New Haven, — preached at a 
log house, — people serious & anxious to hear y*^ word. 
— I was greatly worried & fatigued with riding, — poor 
living, nothing but brook water to drink, — & no com- 
fortable victuals, — my nature almost exhausted, — went 
to Mr. Cooke's in New-haven, friday & Saturday 
morning nine o'Clock, preached, in a log house, & y^ 
people wonderfully attentive. Slept, in an open log 
house, where it rained on me, in y'= night, & no keep- 
ing for my horse. Saturday 1 6th of May rode on after 
preaching to Moreton, — Pocock — mud belly deep to 
my horse, & I thought I should have perished : felt 
warm gratitude to heaven that my life was spared, — 
my health & strength continued, through such hardships 
& unwholesome food, — arrived just at night at Mr. 
Steeles my old parishioner, — was cordially welcome, 
& gratefully received at Hinsburgh. — preached 3'^ Sab- 
bath in May, at his house, — a large audience for y^ 
wilderness, & deeply attentive. He lives well. Land 

[16] 



good — gathered y^ church & organized them on 
Wednesday, preached a lecture & baptized a Child 
for Mr. Elisha Steele. Thursday 20 of May set out for 
Williston where governor Chittenden lives. — baptised 
five children, rode through y* woods, 1 4 miles, y^ rid- 
ing as bad as it could be, almost half of y® trees in y* 
woods blown down by y* violence of y* wind last 
year. Came to one Deacon Talcotts and he accom- 
panied me to his Excellency's Governor Chittenden's. 
A low poor house. — a plain family — low, vulgar man, 
clownish, excessively parsimonious, — made me wel- 
come, — hard fare, a very great farm, — 1000 acres, — 
hundred acres of wheat on y^ onion river — 200 acres 
of extraordinary interval land. A shrewd cunning man 
— skilled in human nature & in agriculture — under- 
stands extremely well y^ mysteries of Vermont, appa- 
rently and professedly serious. Williston a fine town- 
ship of land, — soil fertile. And all y^ towns upon y* 
lake Champlain & for three teer back y^ best sort of 
land. Not very heavy timbered, or stony or mountainous, 
well intersected with streams, & y* streams full of 
small fish. — Two noted streams y* Otter-Creek and 
y* onion river — About 300 towns in the State of Ver- 
mont — 6 miles square — about 40 of y* towns upon 
y* green mountains — very cold — snow upon y* top 
of them till June; commonly — good grazing land about 
half way up y* green mountains — they almost end at 
latitude 44 1-2 — I go up as far as there are any Settle- 

117] 



ments large enough to gather a Congregation — within 
thirty miles of Canada line — days perceiveably longer 

— in reality 20 minutes longer. Moose plenty on y* 
mountains over against Jericho, Essex & Colchester — 
people hunt them — eat them in lieu of beef — & get 
their tallow. Bears & wolves plenty — timber, beach, 

— maple, — pine, hemlock, cherry, — birch & some oak 
and Walnut — about as many as 40 families, in a 
town, upon an average, about 40 towns totally un- 
settled — land extraordinarily good — from Rutland & 
Tinmouth clear to Canada line. Curiosities of y* 
country — y* innumerable high mountains 3 & 4 miles 
up them — 1 — 1-2 perpendicular. — covered with snow 
now three feet in depth — Lime stone in abundance 
scattered every where, but no good building stone — 
a lime pit of two acres in Sunderland — the lower end 
of y* State poor compared to y^ North end — narrow 
& rough, — No cheese any where — no beef — no but- 
ter — I pine for home ^ for my own table. — Words 
cannot describe y* hardships I undergo, or y* strength 
of my desire to see my family — & to be with them. 
How affectionately do I remember them, hundreds of 
times every day, & shed a tear, in y^ woods — got 
lost twice in y* woods already — heard y* horrible 
howling of y* wolves. Far absent — in y^ wilderness 

— among all strangers — all alone — among log-huts — 
people nasty — poor — low-lived — ^ indelicate — and mis- 
erable cooks. All sadly parsimonious — many, profane 

[18] 



— yet cheerful & much more contented than in Hart- 
ford — and the women more contented than y* men 

— turned tawny by y* smoke of y* log-huts — dress 
coarse, & mean, & nasty, & ragged. — Some very 
clever women & men — serious & sensible. Scarcely 
any politeness in y* State — Scarcely any sensible 
preaching — will soon settle Ministers in most of y* 
towns — and in a few years be a good Country, plea- 
sant, & well to live in. — Some of our Ministers from 
Connecticut disesteemed, because injudicious — about 
one tenth part of y* State quakers & anabaptists — 
Episcopalians, and universalists ; & a 1-4 deists. The 
body of y* people will be like Connecticut — & y* 
land, take it together rather preferable to y^ land in 
our State — rather more feasible. A great advantage 
to my character, usefulness & honour coming from y' 
Centre & Capital of Connecticut. They conceived a 
high opinion of my abilities & address, at first, merely 
from y^ above circumstance of place. They were far 
better pleased than I could even imagine with my per- 
formances compared with Mr. Williston's — Mr. Day's 

— Mr. Hawley's, Mr. Bogal's & others. They were 
charmed with my sermons & my delivery ; & bestow- 
ed encomiums which it would be vain in me to repeat, 

— Such as y^ very first-rate — philosophical — Deep 

— penetrating — a great Scholar — angelic — The 
angel Gabriel could not go before him — no wonder 
his people admire him, and such-li^e praises. I felt 

[191 



oppressed with shame — & humility. Such things do 
not elevate me. I am above them & have a higher end. 
I have zealously & uniformly endeavoured to hold up 
y* truth plainly — to alarm y* Conscience; — to inform 
y* judgment & to engage y*= heart; — exhorted; — ad- 
monished; — comforted; — & done all I could, in con- 
versation, as well as. Sermons, to give y* nature of true 
Religion ; — to impress its duties ; to guard from errors ; 
— from superstition & enthusiasm ; — to make y^ Gos- 
pel appear lovely & glorious. I trust my Evangelical 
Tour will be greatly beneficial to as many as about 50 
towns — improving to myself — I see y* mighty works 
of Diety — y^ hard fate of New Settlers — y^ grounds, 
abundant grounds of gratitude for y^ elegancies of my 
own house, situation & living, — & y* awful & deep 
criminality of all complaint, — peevishness & ingratitude. 
My living & situation is a paradise compared to Ver- 
mont: — far: — far happier than any I have seen. — O 
how happy ! happy am I at home. I will study to be 
more contented, — more serene, — more thankful. And 
to make my family so. When I go from hut to hut, 
from town to town, in y* Wilderness, y^ people noth- 
ing to eat, — to drink, — or wear, — all work, & yet y' 
women quiet, — serene, — peaceable, — contented, lov- 
ing their husbands, — their home, — wanting never to re- 
turn, — nor any dressy clothes ; I think how strange !— 
I ask myself are these women of y'' same species with 
our fine Ladies ? tough are they, brawny their limbs, — 

[20] 



their young girls unpolished — & will bear work as well 
as mules. Woods make people love one another & 
kind & obliging and good natured. They set much 
more by one another than in y* old settlements. Leave 
their doors unbarred. Sleep quietly am/J/Zees — bed- 
buggs — dirt & rags. O how vile, — how guilty, — how 
ungrateful to providence are our women ! tell lies about 
one another — envy one another — go abroad, dress & 
enjoy fine roads — carriages husbands to wait on them 

— & are yet uneasy — unaffectionate ! Could they see 

— Could my Lady so agreeable & pleasant to me, only 
see & endure what I have, how contented — how easy 

— how thankful would she be ! she would feel a rapt- 
ure of devotion & gratitude to heaven for our happy 
lot. — Every time she goes to meeting, or abroad, — or 
ascends y« Chaise, she would feel her enviable lot. 
No words can describe y* pleasing situation, when con- 
trasted with almost all y^ world ! How have 1 longed 
to see another pleasing Sabbath at home ! — I have rode 
more than 1 00 miles and seen no meeting house ! — 
1 can now realize what our forefathers suffered in set- 
tling America ! — I grieve to hear what thousands & 
thousands have endured — women & Children in com- 
ing to this State of Vermont. — One thing is now deep- 
ly affecting. The frowns of y* Almighty are on this 
State for their sins. The seasons have been for two 
years back very unfavorable. A famine is now felt in 
this land. I have heard. — 1 have read of famines, but 

[211 



never saw one before, or was in y^ midst of one. the 
year 1 789 will be remembered by Vermont as a day 
of calamity and famine — clearness oftrucJ^ €7 want of 
bread in all their dwellings. It is supposed by y^ most 
judicious & knowing that more than 1 -4 pvart of y* peo- 
ple will have neither bread nor meat for 8 weeks — and 
that some will starve. How affecting y* idea ! I have 
mourned with y^ inhabitants. Several women I saw 
had lived four or five days without any food, and had 
eight or ten Children starving around them — crying 
for bread & y^ poor women had wept till they looked 
like Ghosts. Many families have lived for weeks on 
what y* people call Leeks — a sort of wild onion — 
very offensive to me — it poisons all y^ milk & Butter 
of y* new settlements, while y* Cows go in y* woods. 
— I perform this day 22th Saturday y^ office of physi- 
cian & nurse to Mrs. Chittenden who is very sick with 
a disorder called, Si. Anthony's fire. Miss Leita 
Chittenden, y^ young Lady 16 years old, & I, nurse 
together. They seem to love me, as a brother, & y^ 
Governor as a son. I struck them upon y^ right key. — 
Queer is human nature & has a blind side. His Excel- 
lency picked me out to understand human nature, at 
first sight. He laughed about some of my zealous Con- 
necticut brethren Particularly Mr. Williston. The 
whole Country of Vermont will in process of time, be 
extremely difficulted to fence their Land. There is no 
such good fencing timber as in Connecticut. Stone- 

[22] 



wall can never be made. The mountains are rocky, 
but too steep to carry y« stone into y« Vallies. Satur- 
day — 2 O Clock P — M. quite home-sick today.— 

Vermont will not be a grain Country after a few 
years. Not a wheat — or rye — or Indian corn Coun- 
try, particular spots excepted. Nor a very good Coun- 
try for Orchards. I suffer as much for y* want of 
drink as any thing. Brook-water is my chief drink. 
The maple cyder is horrible stuff — no malt in y* 
Country. — Their beer poor bran beer. — Visited 
about 50 new towns, preached about 6 days in 
seven.— Had a numerous Assembly at Williston, 
people of Jericho and Essex came to hear me & Josiah 
Steele from Hinsburg 1 4 miles ; preached in a barn 
of Col. Spafford's 1 00 feet long. Audience peculiarly 
attentive, opposed Deism in my discourse ; ventured to 
speak much from rising circumstances, without writing 
& have always found a very great freedom. Sabbath 
Evening left his Excellency's & and went over Onion 
River to Jericho — a deep stream and wide, swam my 
horse over — Put up at Deacon Roade's a pious man 
—had no comfortable refreshment — was almost starv- 
ed because I could not eat y* coarse fare provided for 
me — no candles pine splinters used in lieu of them — 
bed poor & full of flees — Monday 25 rode out 4 
miles into y^ wilderness & preached in a log house to 
a number of people who were deeply effected — & 
baptised three Children, & conversed much on religious 

(23] 



subjects. [0 O Clock A. M. — dined with Lewis 
Chapin where I preached — a sensible serious man & 
his wife exceedingly amiable. When I took leave oli 
them She wept heartily & shook hands with me affec- 
tionately & left a quarter of a dollar in my hand — 
and did it with a grace & politeness. His Excellency 
also at parting with me, in Jericho, where he accom- 
panied me — bid me farewell & shook hands with me» 
& left a dollar in my hand. — Monday afternoon rode 
6 miles to Essex, a terrible rode, & lodged with Tim- 
othy Bliss, Esq — a kind, serious & curteous family. 
Tuesday morning very much fatigued for all y^ preceed- 
ing evening, people came in to see me & I talked till I 
was so tired that I could not sleep — A sister of Dr. 
Hopkins of Hartford lives there, a sensible woman — 
rode from Mr. Bliss's 4 miles & preached at Mr. Mor- 
gan's. A horrible rode. There I gathered & incorpo- 
rated a Church, & admitted a member, and drew y** 
form of Covenant. The people deeply affected. Tears 
flowed plentifully — all affected, young people, & Chil- 
dren & myself. — Here my horse got away & steered 
for Hartford, he had undergone hardships enough he 
thought. — 3 O Clock P M — accompanied by Mr. 
Bliss Esq — Set out for Colchester — Burlington & 
Shelburn. — Arrived at Onion-river falls & passed by 
Ethan AUyn's grave. An awful Infidel, one of y^ wick- 
edest men y* ever walked this guilty globe. I stopped 
6c looked at his grave with a pious horror. — Rode on 

[24] 



to Burlington Bay — one of y^ most delightful places 
in nature. — Passed over Colchester-bridge, one of y* 
greatest curiosities of Vermont — y^ Bridge about sixty 
feet from y*' ground on two high rocks on each bank, 
where all y* waters of y* onion river are compressed 
into a narrow space of 40 feet. — From Burlington 
Bay, I set out alone unaccompanied to Shelburn 
through y* wilderness on y^ Lake Champlain — next 
to no rode — mud up to my horse's belly — roots thick 
as they could be, no house for 4 miles. — I got lost. 
My horse nearly gave out, excessively worried with y* 
bad travelling. O how anxious was I ! I expected 
every step to be killed. — I was hungry, dry, had been 
almost exhausted by labours in preaching, conversing 
& gathering a Church. — How much would I have 
given to have been at home — to have seen my dear 
wife & children. It seemed as if I never should have 
y* pleasure again to see them. Night come on — I 
could travel no farther — I found a little log hut & put 
up there. Could get no supper — my horse no feed — 
Slept on a Chaff-bed without covering — a man, his 
wife & 3 children all in y* same nasty stinking room. — 
rose by sun-rise Wednesday morning 26 of May — 
travelled through y* woods, crossed y* River de Plate 
about two miles from y* mouth — a river so called 
from a bloody battle fought on its banks between y* 
french & English ; — passed an ugly swamp & found 
Mr. Smith's Esq 9 O Clock A. M. Got breakfast & 

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am homesick enough — y* woman agreeable — has 
another husband alive — he ran away from her & was 
gone 1 3 years, because of debt. She says, She loved 
him dearly, but has gotten her affections now entirely 
weaned. Last winter she & her present husband acci- 
denttally met him on y^ rode. And y* sight of him 
gave her no uneasiness any more than to see another 
man. At Burlington Bay Col. Stephen Keyes whipped 
bruised & almost killed a Dr. Stephens last month be- 
cause he brought in a high bill for attending his father 
in-law, Col. Sheldon when sick there y* winter past. — 
Land extraordinarily good all along on y® lake & for 
20 miles back. People troubled with y^ fever & ague. 
Colchester & Burlington all deists & proper heathen. 
About one quarter of y* inhabitants & almost all y* 
men of learning diests in y^ State. People pay little 
regard to y* Sabbath, hunt & fish on that day frequent- 
ly. Not more than 1 -6 part of y^ families attend family 
prayer in y^ whole State. About 1 -2 would be glad to 
have y" Gospel & to support public worship & y' gos- 
pel Ministry. The rest would chuse to have no Sabbath 
no ministers — no religion — no heaven — no hell — no 

morality. 

4 O Clock P M preached a lecture at Esq Smith's. 
The hearers very much affected. Went home with 
Capt. Comstock. His wife my cousin. A woman 
greatly esteemed; live on y* Lake shore & have a good 
farm. Thursday 1 1 O Clock AM — went out in a 

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pleasure boat on y* Lake where Arnold's fleet was 
defeated by y* british, a raft of Lumber went off for 
Canada — w*' covered an acre of water & had two 
Itttle huts on it. The rafting business unprofitable for 
y^ State and for individuals that undertake it. Thursday 
had an interview with an old College acquaintance, a 
Candidate who had preached to 90 vacancies & been 
a Candidate for 18 years. He rode with me to Mr. 
Roswell Hopkins in New Haven y* Secretary of y^ 
State — a modest, diffident & sensible man. Lodged 
with him — a wretched log house — Slept in y* midst 
of y^ family. Friday went to Esq Brash's, at y* City 
— viewed y* falls of y^ Otter Creek & y* works there. 
The falls 40 feet, a great curiosity. Plum trees natural 
to y* Country — after viewing y* falls went down y* 
Creek & crossed y* ferry. And reached General 
Strong's in Addison 5 O Clock P M — a pleasant 
place on y* Lake two miles north of Crown Point & 
a sensible man. Here I had y* pleasure of seeing Major 
Storrs, my old Pupil; now State Attorney for y« County 
of Addison. Now some history of y* Country of Ver- 
mont follows — Lake George Southwest of Lake Cham- 
plain — 30 miles long & two and an half broad at a 
medium. Lake Champlain 1 60 long & 3 miles broad at 
a medium. West on York side broken, barren & mount- 
ainous land 6 high white mountains, white as y* new 
fallen snow. — Lake Champlain heads south at Skeens- 
borough & North forms a junction with y* St. Law- 

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rence at Chamblee called y* rapids of St. John's. Ver- 
mont two hundred miles long, 40 broad at y^ South ; 
& 98 at North, Latitude 45 — at a medium 60 miles 
broad — about 300, 6 mile square towns ; and will 
bear about 200 families per town or 360000 Souls, — 
Saturday A M — 1 O Clock. Wished — and wish- 
ed to see my dear wife. I have almost forgotten how 
she looks. It is more painful than words can describe, 
to be absent from one's family alone in y* woods. Fri- 
day was taken sick at Crown-point. Saturday very sick 
and wanted to see my family. Sabbath day quite sick 
and preached at Addison. Audience very attentive. 
Almost sunk into gloom. Seemed y' I could not live. 
Monday passed Crown-point — Bredport— Shorum — 
Orwill & Fair-Haven. Crown-point a remarkable place 
more than a million of money Sterling laid out in erect- 
ing y^ works there, the Lake half a mile wide, y® fort 
on y* west side. Mount Independence in Orwill on 
y^ East side of y* Lake. Ticonderoga opposite on y* 
West side 1 5 miles south of Crown-point. Orwill 
Joshua Tracy Esq lives, become very rich, owns 9000 
acres of land — vain — loquacious — foolish — & proud. 
Fair-Haven lives Dr. Smith, a sensible, polite man — 
full of vanity. Col. Lion, a driving man in business, a 
deist. Passed through Hampton in Yorke State. Came 
to Poultney. Vermont Clergy sate there in Associa- 
tion. Illiterate, miserably appearing body. Preached at 
Poultney to y^ Association, on y* divine government. 

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Received y* highest encomiums & warmest applause 
from all y* Gentlemen of y' Clergy. Conversed some 
in y* Association & was listened to as an Oracle. Here 
saw Rev'* Mr. Avery of Stamford, on a mission to 
Vermont. He appeared Chagrined & deeply mortified 
at y* Superior defference showed to me ; & was full 
of envy at my popularity. — Wednesday afternoon rode 
to Wells and preached to a listening congregation. 
After Sermon proceeded on to Pollet. At Wells six 
of y* preachers attended me, & were all attention & 
said, if they could preach so easy & so elegantly, & so 
sentimentally, they would preach all y* time. Thurs- 
day preached at Pawlet ; put up at Rev*^ Mr. Be- 
bee's — talked to his people. They dissatisfied with 
his rigidity. — Friday 1 O Clock preached at Rupert 
where y^ Rev'* Mr. Bebee accompanied, and I had 
two or three learned Deists to hear me. Afternoon 
went on to Dorset & 4 o Clock preached there. 
Lodged with Rev'* Mr. Sill, an aged, friendly man, 
but moderate talents. Saturday accompanied by him 
I rode to Manchester, put up at Mr. Richardson's. 
Sabbath Morning rode 3 miles to Manchester meeting 
house — here I went to Col. Keyes. His wife glad to 
see me & very polite. Here 1 was introduced to one 
of general Allyn's daughters now Mrs. Hitchcock. 
Both rank deists — two more deists at meeting — I felt 
very disagreeably all day. 4 o Clock rode down to 
Sunderland to preach 5 O Clock where I kept my first 

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Sabbath in my evangelical tour. Mr. Hitchcock & his 
Lady — Mrs. Keyes & Mr. Langdon & others attend- 
ed me. I felt most severely to find y* Deists flocking 
after me. I was very affectionately w^elcomed by this 
people. They seemed overjoyed to see me. Many 
came to see me in y" evening to bid me farewell & 
gave me a httle money. Monday morning June 8th 
set out for home Met y® govornor of Vermont on my 
rode to Shaftsbury. He expressed much love for me. 
Bid him farewell. — 1 2 O Clock reached Bennington — 
here saw Mr. Swift, y* Apostle for y* State. A sensi- 
ble worthy man. After dinner set out for Williams- 
town — through Pawnal. — Monday night lodged with 
Rev*^ Mr. Swift of that place he has y* epilepsy. A 
good man. Tuesday morning 6 o Clock set out from 
his house to Lainsborough. Called on Mr. Collins. He 
was gone to y* seaside with a consumptive daughter. 
Sad occasion ! — My horse was very lame. Went to a 
blacksmith & he found his hoof badly gravelled. Rode 
on to Becket. At Washington called on Mr. Steele — 
see Colo Steele — Mrs. Milichen all overwhelmed 
with joy to see me. Reached my Brothers — about 
dark, fatigued very much ; — overcome with y* suffer- 
ings of my journey. Wednesday morning 1 0th June 
expected to have set out for home, but it rained hard. 
I feel gloomy — how hard to bear disappointments ! I 
set my heart upon seeing my family this day. I am dis- 
tressed to see them. I know not how to content myself 

[30] 



one hour. O how painful is absence from dear friends ! 
It is tearing y*= heart to pieces. I would give almost 
any thing to see my dear family. — But must be patient. 
An alwise Being orders all things. All day I am mel- 
ancholly & wretched. My wife is not out of my 
thoughts one half hour. How often has she been in 
my mind and remembered constantly & fervently in 
my supplications to heaven. I hope she as often re- 
members me. It would break her heart to know how 
much I have undergone. Every body is kind to me. 
Brother Samuel is coming to preach at Becket. How 
mysterious y^ events of Providence ! Hope he will do 
good. — Thursday 1 I th June set out early for home. 
How rejoiced am I to set my face homeward, acci- 
dently heard a word from my family yesterday & of 
a sudden death among my people, a man thrown from 
a horse & instantly killed. What gratitude do I owe 
to a benevolent providence that I have been preserved 
through all y® perils of journeying! — Every step my 
horse takes brings me nearer home, & every moment 
nearer Eternity. What a vain world is this. Human 
life is but a journey. My sublimest happiness is doing 
good, and I believe I have done much good in my mis- 
sion to y® New Settlements. I have now arrived at my 
own doors — myself & family all in health.— And 
my warmest praise shall be offered to y* kind, watch- 
ful care of an indulgent Providence. May my journey 
of life end happily & of all my family. 

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